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Social Construction Theory of Reality by Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman Applied to the novel "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain
Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman's book entitled, "The Social Construction Theory of Reality" discusses how an individual and the society is related to the construction of reality in life as one perceives it to be. Berger and Luckman present various elements that influence the construction of 'reality' of an individual. The book basically provides three important factors or elements vital to the discussion of the Social Construction Theory of Reality: the discussion of how knowledge is conceived, conceptualized, and accepted in real, everyday life; the Society as Objective Reality; and the Society as Subjective Reality. The discussion of how knowledge is acquired and developed is important in discussing the theory because as quoted in the book, "the sociology of knowledge is concerned with the analysis of the social construction of reality." Thus, the book discusses the sociology of knowledge, the Society, and the Individual within the society. Tom and Huck are young people who are known to defy and disobey the norms imposed in the society especially when young people are concerned. Because they are portrayed as 'abnormal' characters in the novel (which means that they are not obedient to the norms or normal rules of the society), the characters of Tom and Huck are good examples of how individuals help influence society and how society dictates how an individual should act or should be for the people. Alongside the study and analysis of the characters of Tom and Huck as individuals affecting the society and affected by the society, it is also important to study the sociology of knowledge of the two characters. In doing so, the readers will learn how Tom and Huck came to conceive and perceive themselves as they are, and what motivates them to continue their disobedient, yet, good ways to the people and for themselves as young men. This paper will therefore provide a study of the sociology of knowledge, society and individual (factors inherent to the Social Construction Theory of Reality) as it relates to the characters and events in "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain.
The Social Construction Theory of Reality is a concept that can be applied in relation to Mark Twain's novel, "Tom Sawyer." The novel is a good description of how the theory and the factors that it has relates to the events in the novel, as well as to the primary characters, Thomas Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The novel presents the story of the two main characters that is directly in
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In the sociology of Knowledge, Berger and Luckman emphasizes on the importance of everyday life or "common sense" knowledge in the conception of one's and society's perception of reality. As the 'central focus' of the theory in study, common sense knowledge pertains to the experiences and events that have vital significance to the individual. Through these events experienced everyday, society and the individual utilize these events to…
Social Construction of Technology Technology …almost everything is negotiable: what is certain and what is not: who is a scientist and who is a technologist; what is technological and what is social; and who can participate in the controversy. (Pinch & Bijker, 1984) The Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) is a theory within several areas including philosophy of technology, sociology of science, and science & technology studies. The theory was developed in the
Social Construction of Race and Gender The purpose of this article is to explore the methods by which Social Construction of Race and Gender are reproduced in the 21st century. In the past, commonplace social practices of discrimination such as segregation in schools, restrictive covenants and redlining in housing, "whites only" drinking fountains, blacks on the back of the bus, and the KKK left no question about the role of racism
Social Construction of Race and Reality Herman Melville's Benito Cereno is a story of race relations and a narrative of racial formation. The theories and definitions set out by Michael Omi and Howard Winant in their article "Racial Formation in the United States" can easily be applied to Melville's novel. First, Benito Cereno details a slave revolt aboard a Spanish merchant ship off the coast of South America. The historical, political,
Social Construction of Difference Allan Johnson's article discusses how various forms of difference in American society are socially constructed. He begins his argument by referring to a comment made by American novelist James Baldwin who once suggested that there in reality were no blacks or whites, but only the perceptions of blackness and whiteness. Johnson and Baldwin do not reject the physiological differences people may have, but Johnson's powerful argument suggests that
INTRODUCTION People are social beings: they seek out others for conversation, support, love, communication, and even for contention. They adapt, conform, criticize, change and reflect and project the values and norms that flow in between and around them, from person to person, society to society, culture to culture. As a result, people and their identities are constantly undergoing revision, which most call natural development or growth—but “we forget that these things
The social construction of the environment is a concept that refers to the ways in which societies and cultures perceive, understand, and interact with the natural world around them. It suggests that our understanding of what represents the natural environment is not a simple reflection of the physical world but rather a product of societal norms, values, beliefs, and practices. In this essay, we explore the various dimensions of environmental